Politics
The Death Of Majority Rule
When I was growing up, the filibuster was hardly ever used--except, of course, by the Dixiecrats (southern Democratic senators, racists mostly) and some conservative Republicans. When civil rights legislation was introduced by liberal Democrats, the right wing of the party would mobilize and stage real filibusters, senators often orating for a dozen hours at a time and then leaving the podium only for another recalcitrant. These legislators did not much disguise their intentions in procedural balderdash. READ MORE >>
Muscle Bound
One of the oddities of the health care reform saga is that, amid a debate that raises profound questions about a citizen’s right to medical attention and the appropriate structuring of an entire industry, public discussion has come to focus on an issue that is both picayune and utterly phony: the legitimacy of Democrats using budget reconciliation to pass a final bill. READ MORE >>
Republican Radicalism And The End Of Romney
Deanophobia Vindicated
Sink or Swim
Taking out My Eraser
The Root has an interesting list of people they say black history could do without. It got me thinking about who I would include on a top-ten list of that kind. READ MORE >>
All In
President Obama began his remarks in the East Room on Wednesday with a reminiscence. Almost exactly one year before, he noted, he had stood in the very same spot, formally launching his initiative to reform America’s health care system. READ MORE >>
A Blue Dog Dream
So, rather inevitably, the fate of health care reform now rests largely with a group of Blue Dog Democrats in the House. More specifically, the question is: Can Nancy Pelosi convince a small fraction of her caucus to endorse the Senate version of the bill, even though they initially rejected the House’s iteration? She’ll need to flip these members to her side because the abortion provisions in the Senate bill will necessarily cost her some votes. READ MORE >>
Round Two
In his speech today in the White House East Room, President Obama clearly indicated that he is going to press for a comprehensive, and not a piecemeal or “skinny,” health care reform bill. He also made it abundantly clear that he will accept, if necessary, a party-line simple majority vote in the House and the Senate in order to get the bill through. Reconciliation here we come. READ MORE >>
